Percussion musical instrument.



J. C. DEAGAN.

PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLlCATlON FILED APR. 7. 1915.

1 173,785. Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

S n m in W M m l ms boLuMBIA PLANOGRAPH cov, WASHINGTON, n. c.

J. C. DEAGAN.

PERCUSSION MUSICAL lNSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED "8.7.1915.

1 173;785. Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- THE COLUMBIA PLAEIOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D, c.

JOHN C. IDEAGAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Original application filed February 14, 1914, Serial No. 818,773.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916. Divided and this application filed. April 7,

1915. Serial No. 19,627.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN G. DEAGAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Percussion Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, this application being a division of my original application, Serial N 0. 818,773, filed February 14, 19141.

My invention relates to musical instruments employing sounding bars and also employing resonating tubes operating in conjunction with the sounding bars in the production of musical tones, the features of my invention herein claimed relating to the resonating tubes and the association thereof with the sounding bars.

My invention in its various aspects is shown by the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred features of construction and in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a part of the instrument illustrated on line 1, 1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the equipment shown in Fig. 1, parts being removed for the sake of clearness; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, but on a larger scale; Fig. & is an enlarged view of a lower portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 indicates a portion of the means which I preferably employ for ad justably supporting resonating tubes entering into the formation of the instrument; and Fig. 6 is view including the structure of Fig. 5 supplied with clamping devices whereby the resonating tubes may be adjustably supported, this figure being somewhat diagrammatic.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

The frame 1 supports a series of sound producing bars 2. The longitudinal rails of the frame I carry upright ears 5 which are threaded by elastic cords 6, these cords in turn threading the vibrant bars at their nodal points. The vibrant bars, made of wood or metal, are arranged transversely of the frame which indirectly supports the same and are located above resonating tubes, there being one tube for each vibrant bar, each tube being desirably of the formation generally illustrated in Fig. 3 which shows a tube having an inner section 7 and an outer section 8, these sections being in sliding or telescoping engagement whereby the length of the air column within the tube may be adjusted. These tubes and each of the sections 7, 8 thereof are adjustable toward and from their corresponding sounding bars.

The tubes preferably project at their upper ends through the frame 1. The tubes are held between a pair of clamping members 9 that are desirably formed of hard wood and are mounted at their ends upon the end rails of the corresponding frame 1, these clamping members having similar formations at their ends where mounted upon said end rails. The inner opposing vertical faces of the elongated clamping jaws 9 are desirably provided with curved recesses 10 which are preferably of larger radius than the radius of the resonating tubes there to be clamped in position, the recesses in each clamping jaw being located opposite the recesses in the other thereby to constitute a plurality of pairs of such recesses each for receiving a resonating tube. Horizontally disposed apertures 11 are passed transversely through the clamping jaws 9 freely to receive the stems of clamping bolts 12 whose heads engage the exterior vertical longitudinal face of one of the clamping jaws while the clamping nuts 13 which complete the bolts are adapted to be turned upon the bolt stems to engage the outer vertical longitudinal face of the other clamping jaw 9. lVhen the clamping nuts 13 are tightened they operate to hold the resonating tubes in position. When a resonating tube as a whole or either of its parts is to be adjusted, the clamping nuts 13 of the bolts between which such tube is disposed are loosened sufficiently to enable said tube as a whole or either of its parts 7 or 8 to be moved up and down transversely of the corresponding vibrant sounding bar. By

the construction illustrated the adjustment of each tube may be effected without disturbing the adjustment of its neighbors.

The bore of each tube is preferably contracted and each tube terminates at its contracted portion in an exteriorly threaded cylindrical extension 14 with which a cap 15 has threaded engagement, this cap 15 carrying a membranous diaphragm 16 at its lower end. The lower end of the cylindrical extension 161 is of the shape illustrated in Fig. 4 so that the diaphragm 16 may be pressed against the same by turn-.

ing the cap 15, thedegree of pressure of the diaphragm 16 upon the tube 14, which is effected by turning the cap 15, determining the tension of the diaphragm and its rate of vibration, whereby said diaphragm 16 may be adjusted to be in sympathy with the air column of the associate tube. The lower ends of the caps 15 and tubes 14: are rounded as indicated in Fig. 4: to prevent these elements 14 and 15 fro-m cutting the diaphragm 16. The cap 15 may be'provided with radially outsetting set screws 17 with the aid of which the cap 15 may be turned and which 'set screws 17 may be turned to hold the adjustment of the tension of the diaphragm 16. The diaphragm which I preferably employ is composed of a textile fabric indicated at 18 and a coating of rubber 19 held by the fabric which thus constitutes a textile foundation, the entire diaphragm being preferably so thin as to be tissuelike or membranous. The rubber diaphragm is carried over the side of the cap 15 and is bound in place by a string 20 and is further secured by a ring of gum 21 covering the string. The cylindrical curtain 22 is carried by the lower end of each pipe section 7 and surrounds the elements 1 1, 15, 16, etc., to protect the inclosed diaphragm 16 from injury.

The tubes which underlie the shorter vibrant sound producing bars obviously produce the higher tones and owing to the short air columns which these tubes afford these higher tones are likely to be dulled or muffled. To offset this tendency the bars overlying these shorter tubes are recessed at their sides as indicated at 23 in Fig. 2.

The end portions of the sounding bars beyond the nodal points are heavy as compared with the portions thereof between the nodal points. The latter portions taper inwardly to an extent which makes the sounding bars very thin at their middle portions, the comparatively heavy ends of the bars serving to load or weight the intervening thin and highly attenuated and highly resilient vibratory portions thereof, these thin portions functioning as reeds.

The tubes 7 are chamfered at their upper ends as indicated at 28, these chamfered ends of the tubes being directed laterally of the instrument so as to reduce the tendency of the sound waves to pass into adjacent tubes and to promote the propagation of sound waves laterally of the instrument toward the audience.

Certain features of my invention which are "herein claimed relate to the bars themselves, other features of the invention being claimed in my original application Serial No. 818,773, filed February 1 1, 1914i, and in another division of said original application :filed April 7, 1915, under Serial No; 19,626.

vVhile I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following 1. A musical instrument including a plurality of sounding bars; a plurality of resonating tubes each formed in sections which are relatively adjustable longitudinally thereof, sections of said tubes being adjustable toward and from the bars; and means for holding the tube sections in adjustment.

2. A musical instrument including a plurality of sounding bars; resonating tubes to which the bars are opposed; and clamping 111621.118 common to said tubes for holding them in relation to the bars and permitting independent adjustment of the tubes with respect to their bars.

3. A musical instrument including a plurality of sounding bars; resonating tubes each being in the form of two clamping members 9 having tube receiving recesses. 10 and clamping bolts passing transversely through the clamping members 9 between adjacent recesses 10. 7 i

5. A musical instrument includinga plurality of sounding bars; resonating tubes" each formed in sections that are relatively adjustable longitudinally thereof; and clamping means common to said tubes for holding them in relation to the bars and permitting adjustment of tube sections with respect to the bars, said clamping means be- 10 nally thereof, sections of said tubes being adjustable toward and from the bars as Well as with respect to each other.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of March, A. D. 1915.

JOHN C. DEAGAN.

Witnesses G. L. CRAGG,

E. L. VJHITE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing th Commissioner 01' Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

